This invention relates to a system for cleaning and purifying water systems, primarily those types of water systems which are utilized in structures having air conditioning systems. It is well-known that in these types of systems, cooling towers are employed, usually positioned on the rooftops of the buildings, among other locations through which the circulating water passes, in order to accomplish the cooling effect for the structures air conditioning system. The cooling towers are used in the interest of saving water in order to recirculate the same. The cooling towers are employed for the purpose of cooling the water, and then sending it back through the system in order to effect the air conditioning/cooling effect for the building, with the warmed water then being returned to the cooling towers for cooling again and recirculation.
One of the traditional problems with such types of cooling systems is that the water absorbs any number of particulate contaminates, including scaling ions from the make-up water itself and/or from the pipe system, corrosion, algae, microbes of various types, and other organisms. In many cases, the microbial organisms will begin a growth pattern in the cooling tower reservoir, and hence, water that is recirculated will absorb such types of microbial particles, and put them into the system. In addition, the reservoirs on the cooling towers are generally open to the atmosphere, and hence, any dust, dirt, or other particulate matter which happens to be in the environment, will end up becoming trapped in the reservoir, and such particulate matter then gets into the water which is also then recirculated through the system.
Heretofore, a variety of chemicals are put into the reservoir in order to attempt to eliminate some if not most of the foreign particulate matter or contaminates. Usually, the chemicals are put into the system by pumps, which take the chemicals from containers or drums, and pump it directly into the reservoir. Hence, for each different type of chemical that the user intends to employ to remove a certain type of contaminate, a container of that particular chemical must be ordered, positioned on the rooftop, or other segregated space and then a pump hose is positioned within the container, and the pump actuated in order to pump such chemicals into the water. In many instances, such containers are 55 gallon drums which are both heavy and cumbersome. This of course requires a fair amount of physical labor, and requires constant overseeing to insure that pumps are functional and equipment is maintained. It will be apparent that many of these contaminants are dissolved in the water, and therefore cannot be readily observable, and hence, the operator simply guesses as to when a certain chemical may be needed. For example, a microbial contaminate will not be obvious in the water. If it does exist, one should be employing a chemical purifying agent which will eliminate the microbial contaminate. However, the operator may well put a chemical into the system in order to cleanse the system of such microbial contaminates when none are present. This is wasteful, and potentially harmful to the occupants of the building.
The present invention is intended to provide a safer and labor free system for removing and purifying water employed in such cooling systems. The present invention eliminates the need for purchasing large containers and employing the labor, space and associated equipment required in order to dispense such chemicals into the water system.
Hence, the present invention takes advantage of the fact that most purification chemicals can be obtained in a solid mass format, as opposed to a liquid format. In addition, the present invention takes advantage of the fact that it is well known in such cooling towers and other types of water systems, there is a constant flow of water through the system as water is recirculated. This is the essence of an air conditioning system employing a cooling tower as part of the re-circulating system. Hence, the present invention provides a container into which a solid mass of contaminate purifying chemicals are positioned, the container being provided with inlet and outlet ports and means provided for positioning and maintaining the container within the fluid reservoir, below the water line to take advantage of the constant flow of water through the system. The solid mass of purifying chemicals will then become dissolved into the water as the same flows through the container, dissolving the solid mass of chemicals on a time basis. When the solid mass of purifying chemicals is totally dissolved, the container may be easily removed, and replaced with another similar container fully loaded with purifying chemicals eliminating the need for the operator to handle any chemicals.
Hence, the present invention relates primarily to the construction of the container in order to accommodate the flow of water into and through the container for the purpose of dissolving the purifying chemicals.
It will be apparent from the following description, that the present invention eliminates the need for purchasing chemicals in large containers in the liquid form, and permits the operators to install the purifying chemicals of whatever nature desired, in the system without the need of handling the chemicals or otherwise becoming exposed to any potential dangerous chemicals.
The prior art with respect to methods for purifying water or other fluids in a closed or open system, especially those used in air conditioning systems where water flows through a cooling tower, is presently quite cumbersome. Such systems generally require that bulk quantities of any desired purification chemical be purchased, hauled to the location where the cooling tower is located and then pumps utilized in order to remove the purification chemicals from the bulk containers and pump the same into the fluid flow of the fluid to be purified. Alternatively, air conditioning systems will have an inlet pipe located elsewhere in the building. When purification chemicals are desired in the system, one would insert a necessary piping into the in-flow pipe, in order to pump or otherwise force the purification chemicals through the inlet pipe. However, the present systems generally do require that chemicals be purchased in bulk quantities, usually in large containers such as 55 gallon drums and then hauled to the point at which the equipment exists for the interposition of the chemicals into the system.
The prior art generally requires the operators to handle or be exposed to purifying chemicals in some manner. Devices however, exist with respect to holders or containers for toilet bowls or other water closets in order to dispense cleaning solutions, for example bleach into the flush water of a toilet tank. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,709,424 illustrates a toilet bowl cleaner which contains a bleach in a chamber for holding a cake of cleaning material. A siphoning effect is provided at the top of the container, the siphon comprising overlapping open-ended conduits. In order to operate, however, there must be an intake of flush water in order to remove the cleaning solution from the device. Indeed, the device requires that the flush water drop below the bottom of the container so that the device can operate. Hence, the device requires that water constantly drop below the container, and then rise above the container as the toilet bowl refills with water.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,943,582 is directed to a holding device for holding a cleaning product in a toilet tank bowl. The obvious similarity between the device shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,943,582 patent in applicant""s device is merely in showing a holder which is intended to hold a device based upon hooking the same to the water reservoir.
Design Pat. No. 361,109 is directed to a toilet bowl dispenser wherein there is provided a fully formed box which is apertured and held in position between a pair of opposed jaws forming a holding bar for the device. It will be appreciated from the following description that while applicant employs pairs of apertures in the front wall of his purification container, nevertheless, the entire construction of applicant""s container differs from what is shown in design Pat. No. 361,109, and submits that the subject device would be inapplicable to the invention herein.
The present invention provides a purification container which is designed and constructed in a manner to permit the water to seep into the container on a controlled basis in order to cause a timed dispersement and dissolution of the purification chemicals into the flow stream of the fluid. Particular details of the construction of applicant""s invention are set forth more fully hereinafter.
In summary, the present invention provides a container which is particularly designed to accommodate a mass of solid dissolvable chemicals, which has the specific purpose of removing certain contaminates from a stream of fluid which is contaminated with many types of particulate contaminates. The container is designed to contain a solid mass of chemical, having appropriate apertures strategically positioned in order to allow water to flow through the container for the purpose of dissolving the contaminates in the fluid or water on a constant basis, thereby purifying the fluid removing the particular contaminates for which the solid mass of purifying chemical is intended to counteract.
The container is provided with apertures appropriately located, and is designed with a front wall which is lockingly engaged to the container, but locked into position in such a manner as to permit seepage of fluid therethrough in order to insure that the interior confines of the container accommodate the flow of water therethrough.
Just as importantly, the present invention affords the operator the ability to handle potentially dangerous chemicals which are required in order to purify a recirulating water system, primarily handling the container of the present invention and installing the same in the system. The present invention eliminates the need for the operator to handle the chemicals, or otherwise become exposed to the same as is presently generally required with the methods and systems utilized for introducing such chemicals into a recirculating water system.
It is therefore the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved system for removing contaminates from a flow of water or other fluid in a closed re-circulating system by utilizing the purification chemicals in a solid mass format, causing such chemicals to be dissolved into the flow of fluid as the same recirculates through a reservoir generally associated with such closed or open systems. In particular, the present system employs an enclosed container which incorporates the solid mass of purification chemicals therein, the container provided with appropriate apertures and a seeping front wall in order to insure that the fluid will flow through the container thereby dissolving the purification chemicals into the fluid for the purpose of cleansing the same.
In conjunction with the foregoing object, it is a further object of the present invention to provide a container of the type described wherein the container is enclosed on all sides, and includes a front wall which is lockingly engageable to the container, in a non-fluid tight sealing arrangement, thereby providing further means for fluid to seep into and through the container for the purpose of dissolving the solid mass of purification chemicals contained therein.
In furtherance of the above objects, a further object of the present invention is to provide a container of the type described, into which a solid mass of purification chemicals may be positioned, the container having a front wall which is lockingly engageable to the container in a non-fluid tight sealing arrangement, the front wall containing at least a pair of apertures at the top end, and opposed apertures at the bottom end, thereby to accommodate fluid flow through said apertures, and through the closed peripheral edges of the front wall relative to the container in order to accommodate a constant flow of fluid therethrough.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a convenient means for hanging the container within a reservoir, and below the water line, which, in the most preferred embodiment of the invention, consists of a magnetic pad secured to the back wall of the container, and allowing the container to be magnetically adhered to the wall of a metallic reservoir, which will accept a magnetic field.
As an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the container is also designed to be provided with a holder, having an arresting cage at one end, for holding and arresting the container therein, and having an elongated arm extending upwardly therefrom, with a holding clamp designed and adapted to clamp onto the edge of a reservoir, thereby to hold and maintain the container at a point below the usual fluid level within the reservoir, thereby permitting fluid flow to pass through the container for the purpose of dissolving the solid mass of chemicals contained therein. Such types of holders may be employed where the reservoir is either made of a plastic material, or a non-magnetic metal such as stainless steel.
A further feature of the present invention is to provide a container of the type described, the container containing a sold mass of purification chemicals therein, whereby upon the exhaustion of the chemicals within the container, the container may simply be removed from the wall of the reservoir, and replaced with a fresh container, thereby eliminating the need for the operator to handle any chemicals of whatsoever nature. Hence, the ease of replacement of the container containing the chemicals within the system is greatly simplified.
Further features of the invention pertain the particular arrangement of the parts and elements whereby the above outlined objects and advantages may be achieved. These objects, as well as other objects, may be achieved as is more fully described hereinafter in the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.